Worst Congress Ever Archives - Page 2 of 3

Congress’ Inaction on VA Reform ‘Embarrassing’

July 24, 2014 Buck Banks

It’s embarrassing.

— Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), in an interview with the Huffington Post, on the inability of Congress do even the bare minimum to address VA hospital reform.

The Overbearing Underachievers

July 22, 2014July 22, 2014 Buck Banks

No one said that being a U.S. senator was all games and fun,
There are important political battles to be fought and won.
But the Senate’s leadership
Fell prey to partisanship,
And now we can’t recall the last time senators got anything done.

Congress’ Approval Rating Remains in the Dumps

July 16, 2014 Buck Banks

15%

Of Americans approve of the way Congress is handling its job. Congressional ratings show little sign of substantial recovery from last year’s record low as November’s midterm elections draw closer, according to Gallup.

Don’t Legislate — Litigate!

July 14, 2014 Buck Banks

Some say Congress is sending us to wrack and ruin,
And by doing nothing they’ll be our undoing.
So what to do with a president
Who takes executive action, exigent?
You call him out in the media, of course, and sue him.

Laying Blame for Our Do-Nothing Congress

July 3, 2014 Buck Banks

There are three groups to blame for the gross dereliction of duty we have seen from this do-nothing Congress. The first, paradoxically, is the Federal Reserve. Its monetary policies have allowed some small measure of recovery, giving cover to Congress’s failure to manage our fiscal policies …. The second group is the Supreme Court. Its campaign of replacing our Jeffersonian democracy with a corporatocracy — sponsored by and sold to the highest bidder — continues unabated … But the group most to blame for the sad state of Congress is you, the American voter. Or, more accurately, the American non-voter.

— Barry Ritholtz, in a Bloomberg op-ed piece.

Confidence in Congress Reaches a New All-Time Low

June 19, 2014 Buck Banks

7%

Of Americans have confidence in Congress, according to Gallup. In 1972 when Gallup first asked the question, 42% of respondents expressed confidence in Congress.

Manchin to Wait Until After Midterms to See Whether He Will Continue to Be Unproductive in the Senate

June 19, 2014 Buck Banks

I’m going to wait until the 2014 election is over, and then I’m going to see what I should do. I’ve never been in a less productive time in my life than I am right now, in the United States Senate.

— Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), in an interview with Time, on his political future.

This Do-Nothing Congress Is Junketing Like Mad

February 4, 2014 Buck Banks

$6 million

Amount spent in 2013 by members of Congress and their staff for nearly 1900 trips, breaking the record for the most privately sponsored travel since rules were tightened in 2007. By comparison the previous post-reform high was 2011, when privately financed travel cost $5.8 million for 1600 trips, according to Legistorm.

Boehner: Running House Majority Like Herding Frogs

January 24, 2014 Buck Banks

I like to describe my job as trying to get 218 frogs in a wheelbarrow long enough to pass a bill. It’s hard to do.

— House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), quoted by the Los Angeles Times.

The Enduring Unpopularity of Congress Reaches a New Low

January 24, 2014 Buck Banks

46%

A s a record-low percentage of registered voters now say the U.S. representative in their own congressional district deserves re-election, according to Gallup. Equally historic, the share of voters saying most members of Congress deserve re-election has fallen to 17%, a new nadir.

Tag: Worst Congress Ever

Congress’ Inaction on VA Reform ‘Embarrassing’

It’s embarrassing.

— Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), in an interview with the Huffington Post, on the inability of Congress do even the bare minimum to address VA hospital reform.

The Overbearing Underachievers

Congress’ Approval Rating Remains in the Dumps

15%

Of Americans approve of the way Congress is handling its job. Congressional ratings show little sign of substantial recovery from last year’s record low as November’s midterm elections draw closer, according to Gallup.

Don’t Legislate — Litigate!

Laying Blame for Our Do-Nothing Congress

Confidence in Congress Reaches a New All-Time Low

7%

Of Americans have confidence in Congress, according to Gallup. In 1972 when Gallup first asked the question, 42% of respondents expressed confidence in Congress.

Manchin to Wait Until After Midterms to See Whether He Will Continue to Be Unproductive in the Senate

I’m going to wait until the 2014 election is over, and then I’m going to see what I should do. I’ve never been in a less productive time in my life than I am right now, in the United States Senate.

— Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), in an interview with Time, on his political future.

This Do-Nothing Congress Is Junketing Like Mad

$6 million

Boehner: Running House Majority Like Herding Frogs

I like to describe my job as trying to get 218 frogs in a wheelbarrow long enough to pass a bill. It’s hard to do.

— House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), quoted by the Los Angeles Times.

The Enduring Unpopularity of Congress Reaches a New Low

46%

A s a record-low percentage of registered voters now say the U.S. representative in their own congressional district deserves re-election, according to Gallup. Equally historic, the share of voters saying most members of Congress deserve re-election has fallen to 17%, a new nadir.

Poetic Justice

Verbatim

“If you are committing fraud against the American people, all of us in public leadership should be trying to stop it and throw you in prison for enriching yourself off the American taxpayer.”

— Vice President JD Vance, on Fox News.

“Your generation has a great bullshit meter, because you’re fed bullshit online all day. And the Democratic Party brand right now is so bullshit.”

— Michigan U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed (D), quoted by The Atlantic, speaking to college students.

“We are done, Americans are done with endless conflict in the Middle East, spending trillions of dollars, American lives… this is insane and we have to call it for what it is.”

— Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO), on CNN.

Numerati

+175,000

“The U.S. State Department announced on Monday that it has revoked more than 175,000 visas during President Donald Trump’s administration so far,” Fox News reports.

$4,600

11

30%

A new American Research Group poll finds just 30% of Americans say they approve of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as president and 67% say they disapprove.

61% to 35%